Russian media say the country's Strategic Missile Forces have successfully tested an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The media quote Colonel Alexander Vovk, a spokesman for the missile forces, as saying the RS-12M Topol ballistic missile was launched Saturday evening from Kapustin Yar firing range in southern Russia.

The spokesman said the aim of the test was to confirm the stability of this class of missile.

The launch comes amid U.S. plans for a missile defense system based in Europe which Russian President Vladimir Putin says will destabilize the region and lead to a new arms race.

The United States wants to deploy 10 missile interceptors in Poland and guidance radar in the Czech Republic, to counter what it says are threats from such nations as Iran and North Korea.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

... Payvand News - 12/09/07 ... --